Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Latvia has not been main sponsor of any Council resolution.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2015, Latvia has voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Latvia normally votes in favour, though it abstained on a March 2015 resolution on the occupied Syrian Golan.
For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Latvia has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has voted in favour of resolutions on: regulation of firearms; and human rights, democracy and rule of law. It voted against Egypt’s resolution on the effects of terrorism on human rights, and abstained on Pakistan’s 2015 resolution on drones.
For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Latvia has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Resolutions that it has voted against are: a Cuban resolution on the effects of foreign debt, and a Cuban resolution on international solidarity. Latvia abstained on the 2015 African Group resolution on the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin.

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews1st cycle: 78 / 192

2nd cycle: 79 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2018)?

NO

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 23

Latvia tabled ‘voluntary pledges and commitments’ in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2015-2017 on 25 July 2014. The document presents Latvia’s international level and national level commitments and pledges for its membership term.

At the international level, Latvia pledged to: actively engage in the work of the Council; contribute to the full implementation of the mandate of the Council; continue to cooperate with Council mechanisms and maintain support for the work of Treaty Bodies and OHCHR; consider accepting individual complaints under previously ratified treaties; ensure continuous voluntary contributions to OHCHR; maintain its standing invitation to Special Procedures and cooperate with mandate-holders; engage actively in the UPR process through participation in the working group; submit a UPR mid-term report; follow-up on the Millennium Development Goals and actively engage in the post-2015 process; safeguard human rights in the context of the use of new information/communication technology and cyberspace; and strengthen democracy and good governance.

At national level, Latvia made commitments to: promote gender equality and women’s rights; intensify efforts to combat human trafficking and sham marriages; ensure the rights of the child in accordance with UN guidelines on the prevention of juvenile crime and protection of children in the criminal justice system; and closely cooperate with NGOs in the development of human rights policies and in decision-making processes.

An analysis of steps taken by Latvia in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that it has yet to accept the right to individual complaint under already-ratified treaties. It contributed US$12,516 to the OHCHR in 2014. Latvia has a generally low level of participation in Council debates. Regarding cooperation with Special Procedures, it maintains a Standing Invitation, has accepted 4 out of 5 visit requests and did not respond to the only communication it received during the period under review. Three of Latvia’s periodic reports to Treaty Bodies are overdue (including ICESCR, which is overdue by around 8 years). It is quite active in the UPR, making recommendations to 78 states during the first cycle.